Can You Forgive Me?
by AshallynDXA
Summary: I don't own the Yogscast. Rythian goes to a party on Treaty Day, the same day the nuke went off and killed Zoeya, to try and rejoin the rest of the people in his world. But the memories of Zoeya the party brings back are to much, so he goes up to the roof to think. But the last thing he expected was for Lalna to follow him. Rythna, T for kissing/ innuendos. PLEASE review!
1. Chapter 1- Treaty Day Party

_**A/N; I own none of the Yogscast. At all. They are entirely their own. Ari, however, is my OC. Thank you to SpiritedandLoyal and ImDefinitelySane for all of their amazing help! Be sure to check them out! Peace.**_

_**-Ash**_

"CREEPER, ON THE ROOF, LA LA LA LA LA! CREEPER, ON THE ROOF, LA LA LA LA LA LA LA! CREEPER ON THE ROOF..." Honeydew, Lalna, and Sips were singing the creeper song. Again. _Do they ever stop?_ I ask myself, looking over at the drunken trio. _This is the day she died. I know it's also Treaty Day, but still, can they show some respect?_ I lean back against the bar, my purple eyes once again unconsciously scanning the crowd for a face my conscious mind knew I would never see again. I turn back to the bar, hiding the fact that my eyes are watering by coughing, then asking Ravs for another round. He complies, passing down a mug of beer. I nod my head in thanks. We've been able to communicate like this, silently, since she... Since the nuke blew up.  
Then all of a sudden I'm remembering the last time I was at a party like this.  
*flashback*  
"Hey, Rythi! Wanna dance?" It was Zoeya; she stood before me clad in a brilliant red gown, looking so beautiful, my breath hitched in my throat for a second, then exhaled on a barely audible "wow".  
"Sure," I replied, "Once I finish my drink." She pouted a bit, but then sat down next to me and flicked her hand towards the barman, forming an "o" with her fingers. The barman passed a mug full of yellow liquid down the bar. Zoeya nodded, and kicked the whole drink back in one go. I stared at her in astonishment. "I didn't know you could do that! Last time I remember, all you could take was sips!"  
"She's been practicing." says a voice next to me.  
"Nilesy!" I say, overjoyed at the sight of him. I envelop him in a hug.  
"She's been at the bar a lot lately," says the barkeep, a Scot named Ravs, and one of my best friends. "I swear, I'm going to run out of Zero at this rate!" As I drink down the last dregs of beer, Zoeya grabs me by the hand and leads me to the dance floor as a slow song starts to play. I wrap my hands around her waist, and she throws hers behind my neck. As the band Hats Off takes the stage and begins a nice, slow song, she leans her head into my chest, and I lay my forehead down on the top of her fiery red hair.

So happy, so perfectly happy...  
Why couldn't it have lasted?


	2. Chapter 2- Red Flowers

*return to present*  
-Lalna's POV-  
I separate myself from the drunken dwarf and spaceman, sipping at my drink, and finding that most of it has sloshed out of the mug while I was singing and stumbling around with the boys. I slip through the ring of clapping and laughing people, all of my friends together in one place. As I head towards the bar, I see Rythian slumped over a drink. The he closes his eyes and seems to be asleep; a smile twitches at the corner of his mouth, and then fades away. I see a single tear drop down his cheek; then more and more, and I know he's remembering Zoeya. A stab of guilt shoots through me; I put that nuke there, back before I knew that Rythian had changed. He had turned from a bitter, vengeful creature to a happy, smiling, almost- human being capable of love. I had destroyed the one thing in the world he truly loved. These tears are my fault, I thought to myself bitterly. I have forgiven him, and maybe someday we can be friends, but how could he ever forgive me? A huge paw lands on my shoulder. I turn around to face the green dinosaur that is standing there, resolute and silent. But then again, he's always silent.  
"I am so sorry," I say. "All of this is my fault. If he can't forgive me, will you? Please, Teep, this is tearing me to pieces. I need to know that at least someone can forgive me."  
Teep just nods his head, and then envelops me in a hug. And believe me when I say you haven't been in a bear hug until a dinosaur does it. I'm so happy, I start crying a bit. I extract myself from the dinosaur's grasp, and fly upstairs to the room I turned into my lab at the factory so long ago. As soon as I set down, I begin to cry. I cry for myself, for Zoeya, for Teep, and surprisingly, for Rythian. Is it possible, even for me, in this state, to... care about him? Either way, I'm crying now, and I can't stop. I cry for the moment when Zoeya left me alone in my castle, to be with the one she truly loves. I know then what I need to do. I break a hole in the side of the factory, and fly over to where Blackrock hold used to be.  
Finally, I touch down beside the grave that now has flowers blooming all over it. Most of them are red; I suspect that was Rythian, honoring his fallen love. His only love. I feel the tears hitting me again, and I sink to the ground slowly, tears clouding my vision.  
"I'm so sorry, Zoeya," I say to myself, choking the words out in between sobs. "I am so, so sorry."  
I forgive you, whispers a voice, from far away.


	3. Chapter 3- The Sky is Crying

-Rythian's POV-

The sheer emotion from that memory shocks me out of my reverie, and I realize that I've been sitting at the bar, staring into my glass, crying softly. Ravs, my best friend, and one of the most compassionate people I know, passes me a clean rag to wipe my eyes with. From the other side of the room, I feel a pair of eyes on me, and I'm tempted to look back, but before I can,the feeling of being watched has passed. Then the crowd hushes for a moment as a figure flies up a few levels through the ceiling portals, then roars back to life when the Hats Off boys begin the next set. I clear my throat with a cough, drying my eyes one last time, then grab an oblong and oddly shaped case from where it's sitting by the door. I slip quietly outside, then fly up to the roof to be alone.

*flashback*

I was sitting on the roof, watching the stars go by, twinkling like a thousand lighthouses, when a flash of brilliant red grabbed my attention. At first I disregarded it as a bird, but then I did a double take and looked back suddenly. I couldn't believe my eyes._ Could it be...?_ No. She left a long time ago.

"Rythian? Rythian, are you home?" shouts a familiar, sweet, musical voice from the area outside the front door. "Rythian, I need to talk to you!"

_This is impossible_, I thought to myself. _There's no way she would come back... Not after the way we parted..._ I flew high up in the air, then creeped over so I could hover over the front door. My breath caught; The impossible had happened.

She was back. The light of my life, the one thing that mattered to me, was home. _Would she stay?_ asked a small part of my mind. My darker, harsher side. _Shut up_, I told it with finality. I dropped back into the castle through the hole in the roof, then spoke for the first time in weeks.

"Zoeya, is that you?" I asked in a rough, scratchy voice. _Christ on a bike_, I thought to myself._ I must sound awful._ "Hello?" I asked again, willing my voice to feel better as I approach the doors.

"Rythian! Yes, it's me, I need to talk to you!"

"What's up?" I asked on my way to the door.

"You're in really super- ultra bad danger, and so is Blackrock!" That got my attention The only other thing I loved as much as gher was my home. I opened the door, and stood on the threshold, taking in the sight before me.

Zoeya stood there in front, impossibly beautiful in spite of the shape she was in. Blood dripped from cuts on her arms and a bandage wrapped around her head. Half of her face was a bruise, and she was leaning on a massive green dinosaur, one leg bent at an impossible angle, the other leaking blood through a soaked bandage on her thigh.

"Help," she said. "I fell out of the sky.." The rest of her sentence was cut off as I enveloped her in a massive hug, breathing in the scent that was uniquely Zoeya. I pulled back, grinned, then pulled down my mask and kissed her, full on, on the lips. She was startled for a second, then smiled against my lips and wrapped her arms around me. Behind her, Teep laughed his toothy dinosaur laugh, but I didn't care. Finally, she was home. I had a light back in my life, and everything was just as it should be.

*return to present*

I inhale sharply as I pull myself back from my memories, even though part of me wants to stay. With a start, I realize I'm hovering a good 20 feet above the roof of the factory. I shake my head once to clear my thoughts, then let myself float down to the roof. I wipe away a few more tears, then sit on the edge of the building, dangling my legs over the edge, looking up at the stars. _If there's a heaven_, I think to myself, _then Zoeya's watching these same stars from there._

-Xephos's POV-

As I step out of the factory for a bit of fresh air, a drop of water hits me on the forehead. "The hell?" I ask, looking around in confusion. I look up; but there's no moon, so I can't see anything. Then another drop follows, and another, until it's practically raining droplets. I taste one with my tongue, and to my surprise, it's salty. How odd. Then I realize something that makes a shiver run down my spine.

"They're tears," I say to myself. "The sky is raining tears. This is impossible." Then the tears stop, and a blur of movement catches my eye. A tall, dark figure, wearing a long cape, jets over to the edge of the building, then sets down on the roof. I see the purple eyes on the cloak, and I know that it's Rythian up there all alone. _He must be mourning_, I think._ It's only been one year, and she was the only thing that mattered to him..._

Deciding to give him more time, I go back inside the factory, just in time to see Lalna fly up the chute. I let him go, and wave Honeydew off when he comes to talk to me. He probably needs time, too, I think. After all, we all know how guilty he feels. He didn't know Rythian had changed, and if he did, he never would have built that nuke.

With a smile, I return to the love of MY life, Lomadia. She smiles back, and leads me onto the floor for another dance, music courtesy of the hit band Hats Off, made up of some of my best friends.

"Your hair is wet," says a thoroughly puzzled Lomadia as she clears water- no, tears- off my face and forehead with the sleeve of her dress.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. I just felt like cooling off, so I dumped a bit of water on my head." I hate lying to her, but what am I supposed to say? That Rythian cried on me by accident? How odd would that be to explain? No, better to let it go. Lomadia just laughs, and drags me to the dance floor.

"You're so silly!"


	4. Chapter 4- Aether Gods

_**A;N/ SO sorry I screwed this up last time! Please don't be angry.. I was trying to do too much at once :( Here is the revised Chapter 4.**_

_**-Ash**_

Chapter Four- Aether Gods

"Are you sure we can't help him?" I ask, pleading with my lover and best friend. He just shakes his head sadly.

"We can't interfere. You know that, Ari." He uses his pet name for me, to soften the blow of the words. I shift my feet, nervous and upset. He just wraps his arms around my waist from behind me, resting his chin on top of my head.

"But Ridge, he's my brother! How can I just stand here and watch him feel all of that pain?" I whine, turning around in his arms to face him. I cup his face in my hands, ignoring the rough stubble that scratches my palms. He smiles; when he does that, I just can't help but smile back.

"Well, I can help," says a voice from behind us. We hurriedly break apart, both falling on the floor in the process.

The redhead at the door just giggles, watching us blush and stammer various excuses. As we pick ourselves up off the ground, she starts laughing.

"What's so funny?" I ask, trying not to blush so much.

"Just the look on your faces when you turned around. Nobody is supposed to know you're together, am I right? That's why you broke apart so fast. But it's ok, I won't tell anyone." I breathe a sigh of relief. "So why does he need help?" she asks, the love plain and evident in her voice.

"Zoeya-" starts Ridge, known to the rest of the world as the demigod Prince Ridgedog. But before he can continue, I cut him off.

"Rythian is hurting. Badly. And so is Lalna." I expect to see Zoeya flinch at his name, but she just grins a little. "He wants forgiveness," I blurt. I'm not supposed to tell anyone what I hear from people's souls, but Zoeya needs to know. "That's all Lalna wants. He just wants you to know that he didn't mean to kill you; He never wanted you to get hurt. In fact, for some time, he loved you. All he ever wanted was for you to be happy, and he thought Rythian was going to kill him. But Lalna didn't know that Rythian had changed when you came along, and he feels so guilty." I pause for breath, refusing to look up at my lover or the redheaded Blaze queen. "It's tearing him apart. Literally." I flick my wrist, and a small sphere of white light hovers above my palm. I breathe on it, and say Lalna's name. The sphere turns blue, but then quickly becomes covered in cracks of black, and several tears. There is also, surprisingly, a streak of purple right in the center, right next to a smaller streak of red.

"Is that-" I hear Zoeya begin to ask. She takes a deep breath. "Is that Lalna's soul?" I nod, still choosing to stay silent. "What does Rythi's look like?" I send the ball of light that is an imitation of Lalna's soul off a little ways, then repeat the procedure, saying my brother's name. The ball turns a deep purple, with a streak of red and a streak of blue. This soul is also torn, but Rythian's is beginning to heal.

"What are those streaks?" Ridge asks.

"These are pieces of the souls of everyone who touched them forever." I take a deep breath to continue. "Zoeya, your soul is- was- red. If we look at all of the people in the world, they all bear a streak of red. They all loved you dearly, but none more so than Teep, Rythian, and Lalna. You changed them forever, during your life, and even in death you still change them. The purple is Rythian. Now, what's confusing me is that there is a piece of Lalna in Rythian's soul, and a piece of Rythian in Lalna's soul."

*flashback*

I sit up; I'm in a room, light blue with white trim. All of a sudden, I realize that my wounds are gone. I bolt out of bed, and go to the mirror. Looking back at me is; well, me, but a different me; My wounds, the wounds that killed me, are now just scars all over my body. I take a deep breath, and pull down my mask. I gasp.

Where once there were purple marks pulsing just below the surface of my skin, my Enderborn marks, now the marks are light blue. A mix of white and purple, I realize.

"Good, you're awake," says a man's voice from behind me. It's a nice, low voice. _Probably sounds good singing, _I think. I shake my head a bit. Where did THAT come from?

"My name id Prine Ridgedog," he says, and I try to do a curtsy. I mean, that is what you do.. Right? But I can't quite pull it off; I'm too weak. I crumple to the floor. Before I can hit the ground, the prince catches me. "There now, what made you try that?" he asks, confusion writtena ll over his handsome face.

"Erm..." I reply. "Aren't you supposed to bow to royalty?"

He just laughs.

-3 months later-

"Hey Ari, where's my shirt?" asks a nice masculine voice from the next room over.

"On me," I reply with a grin.

Ridge wanders into the kitchen of the apartment we share in the castle. His castle, hidden away from his father, Herobrine's.

"love, how many times-" He is cut off by a BOOM! loud enough to shatter the windows.

"Ow!" I yelp; the glass has cut me. All over my chest and arms are streaks of blood, and one side of my face is sliced right on the cheekbone.

Then with a flash, someone poofs into our apartment.

She has fiery red hair, and eyes as green as the trees the Sapling Prince grows down in his own kingdom. She wears a black shirt and a gold crown.

"-love you!" she shouts, then realizes she is no longer where she was.

I know this face. By the fact that she is here, and a blast just shattered the glass, I know a few things for certain.

Zoeya is dead.

Blackrock Hold is gone.

Rythian is possibly dead, and if he isn't, he may never recover.

I sob once, then cry into Ridge's shirt, terrified for my only brother,and this poor girl in front of me.

*back to present*

No one says anything for a minute. then Zoeya speaks up.

"Well, that's easy enough to explain." I shoot her a confused look. Ridge does too; most of this is new to him. I've never shown him the Soulsparks before. "Clearly, they belong together."

"But, you and my brother-" I interject.

"It only makes sense that they would be. I mean, the only thing each loved more than life itself was me, and they would have been connected by that." Now it's her turn to take a deep breath. "I know how I can help." she says, total confidence in her voice.

"How?" asks Ridge.

"By forgiving Lalna, and telling Rythian that I forgive them both."

Ridge seems to think for a moment, so I go over to him and cup his face in my hands again. I give him a gentle kiss; He kisses me back, then turns to Zoeya.

"I think that can work." I leap with happiness, and Ridge catches me midair. My scarf falls off, revealing the lower half of my face, as well as my Endermarks, the swirling lines on my throat. Mine pulse blue, though; not like Rythian's, whose puls a pure deep purple. Mine are light blue, because I am an Enderborn who was brought back to life by Aether magic. Ridge's magic. I kiss Ridge full on the lips, and he kisses me back. Zoeya, I notice, has left us, and is telling the guards that Ridge and I are discussing private matters, and will call for them if they are needed. They agree, and her footsteps recede. I break the kiss to smile up at the man who brought me back from the dead, who gave me an immortal life, who loves me even when I fall into fits and spasms of rage and depression.

"I love you," I say, meaning every word.

"I love you, too," he says, then grins at me.

"Have I ever said thank you for bringing me back?" I ask.

"No," he says. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to say thank you for letting me watch my brother grow up." I say, looking into his eyes.

"I need to thank you for walking into my life." he says.

"I didn't walk. More like I fell."

He just laughs.


	5. Chapter 5- Lonely

A:N/ Thank you so much for all the people reading this story! This is the first story I've ever written that has been published, and the views and support is overwhelming! Thank you so much! As always, reviews appreciated! Thanks! Enjoy Chapter 5!

-Ash

Chapter Five- Lonely

-Lalna's POV-

I forgive you, whispers the voice again.

"Where are you?" I ask, looking up from the grave. "Zoeya, I'd know your voice anywhere. Where are you? Please!"

"Right here." I get to my feet and spin around.

Sure enough, there stands Zoeya, looking beautiful in jeans and one of Rythian's shirts. But it's not her in the flesh; She floats a bit off the ground, and I can see through her. But she doesn't look like she did when Rythian and I buried her; She look like she did the day before, beautiful, happy, distracted...

Alive.

"What- Why- How-" I stutter, trying to understand.

"I can only be here for a little while," she says, a sad look on her face. "I have permission from Prince Ridgedog and Lady Arianna to be here. But only for a short while." She sees the sad look on my face, and smiles a sad little smile. "I wanted to tell you, Lalna, that I forgive you for the nuke."

"But how can you forgive me? I killed you, and I ruined Rythi." I gasp, cover my mouth, and try to fix the blunder. "I mean Rythian. I ruined Rythian." She giggles. I blush. "Ok, I called him Rythi."

"You love him, don't you?" she asks, looking into my eyes. It's strange; it's almost like she can see right through me. "I don't mind if you do. I'm happy for you. Rythi can be a bit hard to love sometimes."

I just nod, then burst into tears again. She looks at me, with a worried look on her face.

"You know I forgive you, right?" she asks again. I can only nod. "Good. Then I can go. I have to go to Rythi as well, remember."

"NO! Don't go! Please!" I'm begging her.

"I'll never be gone," she says with that smile. The full smile that can light up a room. A smile that brings light to the lives of anyone around her. "I will always be with you. In here." she points to her heart, then puts her hand over mine, and her hand makes contact with my chest, sending warmth through me.

I can only nod; I'm all choked up from crying.

"Goodbye, Lalna." she says, then fades away.

I drop to my knees, crying. But this time, they aren't tears of sadness. They are tears of joy. Finally, I can almost feel my soul beginning to heal again.

"I'm coming, Rythi," I say to the dark sky. "I love you, and I'm coming to tell you." With that, I lift myself up off the ground and push into the air. I direct a course towards the factory; then decide I should probably change out of these tearstained, dirty clothes. Then I repeat myself again, shouting the words into the sky, with the joy of a man whose life has just been filled with purpose.

"I'm coming!"


	6. Chapter 6- Is It Really You?

-Rythian's POV-

I take my guitar out of its case, feeling the smooth wood, warm beneath my hands. I strum experimentally, only to flinch at the discordant clashing of the notes. This thing is so far out of tune, I think to myself. But before I can do anything about it, I hear a voice from behind me. The only voice I have ever really listened to. The voice that belongs to the one person I have ever truly loved unconditionally.  
My Zoeya's voice.  
"Hey, Rythi." There is no doubt in my mind that it is her.  
"Zoeya?" I ask, as I set my guitar down and turn around to face the voice. I catch my breath.  
There, before me, is Zoeya.  
I was so afraid that she would look like she did the day she died. Twisted, broken and covered in blood. But instead, she looks just like she did the day I met her, when she fell out of the sky next to me. That pond meant so much to the both of us- it was the place we met, but to me, it was also the place she died. But here she stands- no, floats- glowing just a bit, wearing jeans and one of my t-shirts. Her red hair is wild and untamed, and her eyes glow with the spark that nothing could ever take away. Then she smiles at me, and I swear, the sun came out right then and there just to watch her smile. She seemed to fill the room with soft, glowing light.  
"Yes, Rythi. It's me. I'm really here." she says, still smiling  
"Oh my god..." I say, and can't help trying to hug her. To my surprise, I can. I wrap my arms tight around her, and breathe in the scent. Her scent. Warm earth, mushrooms, fire, and the smell of magic. She hugs me back, and I start to cry.  
"I don't have much time here," she says. "Prince Ridgedog and Lady Arianna sent me to try and set things right."  
"Everything is OK now. You're here. Right?" I ask, even though she as good as told me she had to leave. She just shakes her head a bit, and then pulls back so she can look into my eyes.  
"I forgave Lalna." she says, her blue eyes looking deep into my purple eyes, and those eyes are telling me what my mind is telling me isn't true; she truly has forgiven him.  
"How- How can you forgive him? He killed you!" I try to contain the anger, rage and yes, denial in my voice, but it still shows a bit.  
"Because he didn't know that you had changed. He thought you still had a cold heart devoted entirely to revenge. He didn't know that you had fallen in love with me, not until the end. Not until he saw you trying to bury me on your own, with your broken arm and all. He could have killed you right there, but instead, he helped you bury me. I've seen his soul, Rythian." Now she's serious; she's not using her pet name for me anymore, instead calling me by my full first name. "It's torn to pieces. His guilt is tearing him apart. When I forgave him, it started to heal. But he needs you to forgive him before he can be alive, truly alive, again."  
I shake my head; this is impossible. "When did you talk to him?" I ask, curious.  
"He went to my grave after he left the party. He was so torn up..." A single tear ran down the side of her face. I wipe it away with my thumb, thinking about what she had just said.  
In the past few weeks, I had begun to care about the scientist, which confused me to no end. Every night, when I was actually sober and my mind was running on more than 1 cylinder, I had thought about Lalna. Dreamed about him. Laid awake, thinking about how he smiled whenever Xephos and Honeydew made a joke.  
It started as a trickle, but then they started to come faster and faster, until it became a flood of memories.


	7. Chapter 7- I Can Remember

_**A/N; OMG, I am so sorry this took so long to post! Last week before break, and EVERY teacher decides to make a project due on the same bloody day. The next few chapters will be more regular, I swear! So sorry!**_

_**-Ash**_

Chapter 7- I Can Remember

-Rythian's POV-

I would remember the time before the first Tekkit War, back when we were good friends.

I remembered his visits to my home, the times when we would both go spend time with Zoeya at her mushroom village.

I remember vividly the day the war began; As Lalna chased Sjin away from my home, I remember him shouting "I'm so sorry, Rythian!" as the roof of my house caught fire.

I remembered him showing me his castle the first time; the pride in his voice whenever he spoke of his beautifully constructed home, the hand-made doors, the high ceilings and towers.

I remember the day he caught me in a forcefield outside his castle, and told me about the nuke. Told me to watch my step. I can remember the rage, overwhelming, but contained by an emotion I can now identify as love….

I remember when he told me Zoeya had been by his castle; the flip in my heart that told me I still loved her, even when she had left me all alone, taking Teep with her. Lalna had seen her, and told me she was safe; that made me somewhat OK with the nuke, somehow.

Then, I can remember when Zoeya had told me she was 99% certain she could handle the nuke, then she told me 97%, and I started to worry. She told me to stop worrying, that she would call if she needed me, giving me her radiant, beautiful smile.

I can remember going to Ravs' bar, and drinking. A lot.

I remember the boom, rushing back towards Blackrock, finding a crater. Feeling my heart freeze. My blood run cold. My mind shut down, then speed up.

I remember digging frantically through the rubble, ash falling from the sky like snow. Breaking my arm when a piece of the tower fell on it, Teep helping me free. He tied it in a sling.. Zoeya's cape that he had found.

That was when I started to lose hope, and cry.

I remember finding her by the pond where we met, covered in blood, bent, and broken. The light leaving her eyes as she smiled one last time, and told me she loved me, and not to miss her much when she was gone.

I can remember the moment she died. I screamed at the sky; A horrible, wrenching scream, with all of my sadness, rage, and all of my emotion. I screamed so loud, everyone began to gather around me.

Lalna had been the first to do anything; He dropped down beside me and helped me carry her body to the graves she had dug before, back when Blackrock was still under construction. Once she was buried, I turned to him and cried on his shoulder. He had hugged me, and whispered into my ear that it would all be OK. I didn't even care that her death was HIS fault. I only knew that I could trust him, and he let me cry, soothing me ll the time.

Then Prince Ridgedog had flown down, wearing black. He didn't say anything, just pooled magic in his hands, then turned Zoeya's headstone into diamond. He then nodded to us all. Everyone but Lalna and I bowed; Lalna nodded his head, and I kept crying into his shirtfront. Xephos decided that today, this war would end. We all signed a treaty; then Lalna hugged me one last time, and told me that if I needed anything at all, to come to him. I nodded, then flew over to Ravs' bar.

I remember drinking mug after mug of beer, stopping only when Teep brought me Zoeya's crown. Her beautiful golden crown that he had found when he was digging through the wreckage.

I drank for months, sleeping at the bar during the night, staring at the sky during the day, drinking again in the evening. Lalna must have visited a few times; once he kissed my forehead when I was passed out.

Then, one day, I looked up at the sky, and the simplest thing shocked me out of my reverie; A little bird had fallen out of its nest, and a squirrel picked it up, and carried it around, until the bird learned how to fly. I thought about that for a long time, and that made me think of how Zoeya had affected me. She had been the squirrel; Picking me up and holding me until I managed to get over losing my sister Ari. A few months later, that same bird, now grown into an eagle, left the nest and found a mate, making its first kill and flying through the sky, screaming his victory. I thought of myself; and I decided I would try to live up to Zoeya's memory. I stopped drinking as much, and started trying to put my life back together. Then I received the invitation for the party, on the anniversary of the day I had lost my sister Ari. She was killed by an Enderman; How horribly ironic is that? Killed be something that was a part of her.

First Arianna, then Zoeya.

Who else was I going to lose? Did I have anyone left to lose? I remember thinking. I accepted the invite, because we all know that Zoeya would have wanted me to go the party. She always did love a party, I thought to myself.

All of this flashes through my head as I stand on the roof, holding Zoeya's spirit in my arms. Wishing I could hold this moment forever. Wishing it never had to end.

I can remember every moment of our life together, the good times and the bad.

Everything is clear to me now; what I must do to live up to the memory of this beautiful girl I'm holding in my arms.

I know what I must do.

It won't be easy, but it's what I need to move forward, and put the past behind me.

Once and for all.


	8. Chapter 8- Now What?

Chapter 8- Now What?

-Lalna's POV-

I start to lose my temper; throwing clothes everywhere. I have no idea what to wear. Then a bag hanging in my closet catches my eye. I'm sure that wasn't there before. Almost certain of it. I walk up to the bag; there's a note pinned to it.

"Thought you may need some clean clothes.

-A"

_Hmm, _I thought to myself. _Who's A_? With a shrug, I open the bag. Inside is a 3 piece suit, tailored just to my size. Dark blue, with a light blue dress shirt and a white tie.

"Perfect!" I say, overjoyed. I put the suit on, and fly out towards the factory. On the way I stop off at a meadow I found years ago, and pick some flowers. Red roses and purple lilacs.


	9. Chapter 9- Stay With Me, My Love

_**A/N; So sorry this took so long! Two chapters today, 8 and 9, because 8 it so short, and it took me so long to get them out, for which I apologize. School is back in, and we have big tests next wekek, so there's lots of homework. I should dtop rambling and get on with this :P Enjoy!**_

_**-Ash**_

Chapter 9- Stay With Me, My Love

-Rythian's POV-

As I'm standing here, holding the one person I ever loved in my arms, I realize something I should have seen long ago. My time with Zoeya has come to an end, and I have to move on. I would cry; but I have no more tears left to cry. It's time to move on, to find another love to spend my days with.

"Zoeya?" I ask, looking back into her eyes.

"Yes, Rythi?" she replies, looking back. Green eyes into purple eyes.

"It's time for me to move into the next stage of my life, isn't it?" I ask, even though I already know the answer I'm going to get. Still, I have to ask.

She just nods. "You've known it in your heart since the day I died."

I grin beneath my mask. 'Maybe I have, but I just needed to hear it from you." She laughs. "Hey, I'm being serious!"

"I know, but still!" she giggles. "Can you forgive Lalna? It needs to happen for you to move on. I know it's hard, but you must."

I look up towards the sky, and the moon breaks through the clouds, bathing the world in silver light. I look back down, and somehow, she's more beautiful than before.

I hug her tighter. "Stay with me, my love. Please, I'm begging you. Stay."

She shakes her head, and gently pulls down my mask. "I can't. I'm the one who should be sorry, Rythi." Then she kisses me, and it all feels ok again.

Then I let her go, and she smiles and begins to fly back towards the sky. Almost to the moon, she turns around.

"Oh, by the way, Arianna says hello."

I freeze. "But Arianna died!"

"She did. But she's back now."

I look up at her as I pull my mask into my face. "Tell her I love her, ok?"

"I already have."


	10. Chapter 10- One Last Crown

_**A/N; Again, sorry about the fact that these are slow to come out. I have to go and edit them, and then there's the incredible amount of homework my teachers give me. Seriously, I'm really sorry. I think I'll also post chapter 11 today, and then, on Friday, chapter 12. Hang with me, guys, I swear, it's coming!**_

_**-Ash**_

Chapter 10- One Last Crown

-Lalna's POV-

I stop on my way back to the party at Zoeya's grave. The moon has come out, and the diamond headstone glitters like a thousand stars. I put the flowers on her grave, then stand up and get ready to leave. Before I go, however, I dig through the wreckage of Blackrock again. I finally find what I'm looking for there; A black crown, with a purple amethyst in the center. The crown itself is obsidian. There is no doubt whose crown this was.

Rythian's.

I dig in my bag, trying to find mine. With an "Aha!" I pull out a titanium crown with a single sapphire set in the center, forming a yin- yang with an emerald. My crown. They call me the Iron King. Zoeya was the Queen of Blazes, and Rythian the King of Night.

I take the crown with me, then look in the rubble for one last thing. I find it when a bit of moonlight glints off the beautiful purple surface. I put it in my pocket with a grin. Then with one last look at Zoeya's grave, I fly back towards the factory.

"Please don't have gone inside. Not yet."


	11. Chapter 11- Chords and Memories

_**A/N; The song lyrics are the words that are underlined and italicized. I DON'T OWN THIS SONG! It belongs to Passenger! I wish it was mine, it's so awesome!**_

_**-Ash**_

Chapter 11- Chords and Memories

-Rythian's POV-

I pick up my guitar, and strum a few chords. I cringe at the awful twang of an untuned guitar. I tune the strings, then try it again. I start the song I know the best of all. The only song I know better than any other.

Then I start to sing.

"_Well you only miss the light when it's burning low/ Only miss the sun when it starts to snow. Only know you love her when you let her go."_

-Lalna's POV-

_"And you let her go."_

A man's voice is singing from the edge of the roof when I touch down. With a start, I see Rythian. He's playing a guitar and singing. I decide to let him continue, and I sit down to listen.

_"Only know you've been high"_

-Arianna's POV-

_"When you're feeling low,"_

It's my brother. He's singing again. I taught him how to play guitar, about two years before I died. Well, he thinks I died for good. Ridge brought me back. Ridge moves up behind me, as we watch with Zoeya what scene is unfolding on the roof.

"Are you sure this is right?" asks Ridge.

I turn to face him.

"I'm certain."

_"Only hate the road"_

-Rythian's POV-

"_When you're missing home"_

As I play the chords I've played so many times before, memories of my beloved come back to the front of my mind. The first time we visited Baby Jim, the day she showed me her interior decorating.

_"Only know you love her when you let her go"_

I bow my head over my guitar and let the memories wash over me.

"_And you let her go."_


	12. Chapter 12- Let Her Go

Chapter 12- Let Her Go

_**DISCLAIMER! I do not own the song mentioned in this chapter, or any of the characters besides my own. Reviews appreciated!**_

_**-AshallynDXA**_

-Rythian's POV-

"_Staring at the bottom of your glass"_

_Sitting at Ravs' bar, looking at life through the bottom of my glass, watching the world swim around me. Thinking about Zoeya: her smile, her laugh, the way it feels when she kisses me..._

_"But dreams come slow and they leave so fast"_

_How long it took me to realize that I loved her, and how fast everything went wrong. I loved her, and she left. Then she came back, but I was too scared to say anything. Then she died in my arms... Why can't anything ever work out? _

_"You see her when you close your eyes/ Maybe one day you'll understand why/ Everything you touch surely dies"_

_Whoever gets too close to me always end up dead... That's my curse. My sister, my beloved, my friends..._

_"But you only need the light when it's burning low"_

_The light in her eyes, always shining brightly, showing me how to live and be happy_

"_Only hate the road when you're missing home"_

_Thinking about Blackrock whenever I was out collecting materials_

"_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

_The horrible empty feeling when I found B.A.R.R.Y. and I found Zoeya gone _

"_Only know you've been high when you're feeling low"_

_Standing in my living room, waiting to feel something... Anything... To tell me I'm still alive..._

"_Only miss the sun when it starts to snow"_

_The first snowy day we went to see the "baby"_

"_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

"_And you let her go"_

_I let her go... I let her walk away... I should have forgiven her for the science... I should have seen that I was wrong..._

"_Staring at the ceiling in the dark"_

_Lying alone in the bed we used to share, waiting for the endless night to pass..._

"_Same old empty feeling in your heart/ Cause love comes so slow and it goes so fast"_

_How empty I felt... A hole in my heart nothing could fill_

"_Well you see her when you fall asleep/ But never to touch and never to keep/ 'Cause you loved her too much/ And you dived too deep"_

_Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was her face looking back at me, that night at Minty's bar, the night we rescued Teep from Sjin_

-Lalna's POV-

I can see tears running down Rythian's face, but his voice continues to be clear and strong. As he sings more of this song, a song that clearly means a lot to him, I start to remember as well. But my memories are of Rythian, not Zoeya.

_"Well you only need the light when it's burning low"_

_The day before the war, spending the night laughing and talking with Rythian and Zoeya, watching the torchlight play across Rythian's face, the shadows dancing around us as we laughed and talked_

"_Only miss the sun when it starts to snow"_

_I saw Rythian watching Zoeya and Teep farming down below, as I watch them through my telescope on my castle_

"_Only know you love her when you let her go'_

_Watching Rythian fly away from my castle, away from the forcefield I had him contained in, knowing that he will never feel the same way about me_

-Arianna's POV-

MY memories were of our childhood, raised by a loving mother. I can't remember her name, or what she looked like, but I will never forget the sound of her voice when she would laugh. I remember the happy years I spent with Rythian and Mom. Also present are memories of dying, and Ridge bringing me back to life.

"_Only know you've been high when you're feeling low"_

_Watching Rythian run away from the village at the funeral, not wanting to believe Mom is dead_

"_Only hate the road when you're missin' home"_

_Looking back from the top of the hill down at the village, the place where I was born and raised, Rythian already gone beyond the hill, going west, away from the village_

"_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

_The awful feeling of leaving flowers on your own mother's grave, the woman who promised you that she would always be there for you_

"_Will you let her go?"_

_Turning around and walking down the hill, away from her grave, letting go of the last thing keeping me here. _

"_'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low"_

_Light fading, my vision clouding, feeling myself slip away..._

"_Only miss the sun when it starts to snow"_

_My vision goes gray, my heart beat for the last time, and everything goes black..._

"_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

_Ridge's face swimming into focus, worried blue eyes meeting my purple ones..._

"_Only know you've been high when you're feeling low"_

_Jerking awake, feeling my wounds close, feeling Ridge's arms around me, holding me upright while I adjust to being alive again_

"_Only hate the road when you're missin' home"_

_Standing beside him, watching my brother find my mask, my cape, watching him cry, watching the beautiful redhead hold him and comfort him, pull him back towards the home they made for themselves out of black stone, warm and welcoming_

"_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

_Turning into Ridge's arms, and starting to cry into the front of his shirt_

-Rythian's POV-

I feel Lalna's presence behind me, like a beacon, calling me home. I put down my guitar, and stand, turning to him.

-Lalna's POV-

Rythian turns towards me, and I hold out my arms, ready to defend myself or give him a hug, whichever works.

-Rythian's POV-

Lalna holds out his arms, and I grasp his hands, placing one on my shoulder and one of mine on his waist, holding his other hand in mine.

-Lalna's POV-

Rythian moves my hands, and I realize he wants to dance. I move with him, and from above us, two voices continue the song.

"_'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low/ Only miss the sun when it starts to snow/_

_Only know you love her when you let her go"_

-Arianna's POV-

I see my brother pull Lalna into a dance position, and as they start to sway, I start to sing the rest of the song.

"_Only know you've been high when you're feeling low"_

I nudge Ridge, and he joins me.

"_Only hate the road when you're missin' home/ Only know you love her when you let her go"_

-Lalna's POV-

As Rythian and I dance to the voices above us, I can feel him smile. It's a small smile, but it's enough to tell me what I already know.

"_And you let her go"_


End file.
